The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-08
Influenced by a knowledge of the facts,
should be furnished with the proofs
which have been promised.
Very respectfully,

winch nave Deem DfOInlScu.
Very respectfully,
MAHLOS GORE.
(CoPY)
TALLAHASSEE, FLA, April Z, 1887.
To Mahlon Gore, Esq, Tallahassee, Fla
DEAR SIR-In compliance with the
suggestion contained in your letter of
this date, I herewith hand you the en-
closed affidavit which you are at liberty
to use in such manner as your Judgment
may dictate.
Very truly yours
GEO. F. DREW.
(CoPY.)
State of Florida, County of Leon:
Personally appeared before me, ex-Gov.
Geo. F. Drew, who, after being duly
about the first day of January, 1887.
Mr.. Chas. III. Jones, editor of the Times
Union, came into my office,
in Jacksonville. to consult with
me as to who should be supported for the
United States Senate, a. Chas. w. Jones
successor. After mentioning Gov. Perry
and the Hon. Samuel PascO, he suggest
ell ex-Gov. w. ID. BlOxhaIn- 1 remark
ed to hum that did not think that he
would be my choice for United States
Senator. did not think he was the strong
cSl OT D<-St AOi lSSSAtAoih- AAC
replied that the Bourbon element had
united on Gov. Perry and had left BlOx-
ham out in the cold, and that he was
now anxious to unite himself with the
progressive element of the Democratic
party and he would array himself with
hem AZ to the next candidate for Gov
ernor and Senator Calls successor when
his term should expire in the United
States Senate, and that he (BlOxham)
would commence To array himself against
Senator Call Immediately after taking
his seat i'm the United States Senate and
would continue this opposition to him at
home and prevent his reelection.
Whereupon 1 asked him (JOnes) how
he could rely upon the ex-GovernOr's
promises; that my experience with him
in that respect had been very unsatisfac-
tory. He replied that he had a written
agreement with him on which he
would not dare to go back
with such an instrument in
his &C.. III. Jones) hands. Subsequently
he called on me to know how this state
ment had got out. saying that he had
cOnfided it only to three or four. includ-
ing Hon. Chas. DOugherty, A s. Mann,
myself and one or two others.
He held in his hand a letter which he
said he had received from Ex-Governor
Bloxham i'm which Bloxham stated that
Jno. T. Graves had written him that he
had been told an agreement existed be-
tween him {ex-GOvernOr Bloxham) and
Chas. III. Jones, editor of the Times
Union. and he, (JOnes), wanted to know
''hOw in HI it got out" l replied
that i heard it spoken of. He
wanted to- know by whom. / told him
by Senator A. s. Mann, at Orlando, dur
ing the fair. in the presence of Mr.. Nah
Ion Gore and myself.
1 subsequently met with Hon. Charles
DOugherty and the subject was referred
to by him. he saying that he had been
informed that he. himself. was a party
to the understanding between Jones and
ex-Gov. Bloxham. l told him that l
never SO understood it, but had heard
Mr.. C.. III. Jones refer to it as he,
being one of the few as knowing
of such an understanding. He said
yes: that Jones had told him
that he had some such understanding
with Bloxham, and he QDougherty) had
seen such a letter from Bloxham To
Jones.
At n subsequent interview with Jones
in my office, after the report of the COM
mission appointed by Governor Perry had
been made and was printed, 1 asked
him what effect that would have upon
Bloxham's chances for the United States
Senate. He replied, that will do him
no damage, for he was not the leading
spirit in that Board of Trustees, that he
(BlOxham) had always been somebody's
tool, and why not use him as our tOOl?'
l replied that l did not want to see
sent to- the United States
from Florida who could be used
as tool by anybody.
(SigneD GEO. F. DREW
and sworn to in the city of
Tallahassee, County of Leon and
SEAL. State of Florida. before me, on
the 9Th day of April. A. ID. 1887.
(SignedD w. w. MC;RIFF,
Justice of the Peace
CHOATE.